The present invention relates to an architecturally finished concrete structure, and the process for making same including the step of casting the structure in-place.
More particularly, the concrete structure of the subject invention is a composite of an architecturally finished wallboard member, a plurality of internal hollow void creating devices, and concrete, with the resulting structure having the desirable characteristics of: improved weight-strength ratio by reducing the unnecessary concrete in the structure; being architecturally finished on one or both sides, thereby minimizing the amount of finishing required; effective insulation of the concrete structure; increased fire rating; more efficient sound transmission properties; and with all of these results achieved with the subject process which greatly reduces labor requirements, material requirements, and elapsed time for the construction of the structure, all of which result in significant cost reduction.
Prior art systems for casting-in-place concrete structures usually require, in the case of vertical walls, the employment of two opposed temporary forms into which the concrete is poured. Following curing of the concrete, the temporary forms are removed and the opposed surfaces of the concrete structure are architecturally finished, for instance by the application thereto of wallboard, plasterboard, plywood, or the like. In most instances an array of furring strips are applied to the concrete structure in order to provide a nailing surface into which the nails for holding the wallboard may be attached. As is readily apparent, the employment of the concrete forms, the application of the furring strips, and the time required for applying the wallboard member greatly increases the cost of construction.
The present invention overcomes the shortcoming of prior art techniques to produce an architecturally finished concrete structure by providing an architecturally finished concrete structure and a method of making the same wherein a finished wallboard member forms a portion of the concrete form, and wherein void creating devices are first bonded to the finished wallboard member, after which uncured concrete is poured into the planar concrete form and cures in intimate contact with the void creating devices and one side of the finished wallboard member to form a composite structure. When employing the subject process, the finished wallboard member has the dual function of defining the concrete form into which the uncured concrete is to be poured, as well as becoming part of the resulting composite structure following curing of the concrete. The wallboard also functions to maintain the elongated hollow void creating devices in place during the casting-in-place operation since the void creating devices are previously bonded to the finished wallboard. Uncured concrete flows in and around the exposed portions of the void creating devices, and is bonded thereto as well as to one surface of the finished wallboard member, thereby forming an integral concrete structure. The latter has the advantages set forth above, and in addition, the subject process eliminates the requirement for employing standard concrete forms, thereby reducing the amount of time and equipment necessary for forming the architecturally finished concrete structure.